Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning writer of Milkhas been charged with assault in a case involving Teddy Edwardes, a presenter on the BBC3s The Big Proud Party Agency.
The Under the banner of heaven the creator pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Thursday, where he was charged with assault by assault, a Crown Prosecution Service spokesman confirmed. He has been released on unconditional bail and will appear in court on August 8.
The charge stems from an altercation between Black and Edwardes in August 2022 at the Freedom bar in Soho. According to the UK outlet, The evening standardthe altercation took place on August 18 last year, with police responding to a call at the Wardour Street establishment.
Both Black and Edwardes “accused each other of assault,” local London authorities said, but there were no reports of injuries and no arrests at the time.
A representative for Black told British newspaper Subway that the Hollywood writer will respect the legal process, but “was surprised and saddened to learn that after the other person involved in this unfortunate incident took responsibility and expressed regret for a blow to the back of the head from Mr. Black — leaving him with a life-changing concussion — it was decided to now investigate the matter of a spilled drink in court.”
In September, Black revealed that he had suffered a “serious head injury” and was therefore “disappeared” from public space and social media for a while. He did not say how he got the injury.
“My doctors showed little improvement and ordered me to shut down my brain in hopes it would heal. This has been a challenging, terrifying time for a creative type who relies on what’s in their skull to work, care and love,” Black continued in his post. “And now I understand that the way back will be long.”
As he discussed his document, Mama’s boysaid Black THR that he was on the mend, but some of the things he went through as a result of the injury were “terrifying” and can feel “endless” even though they aren’t.
“Within a few months I will be 100 percent normal again. Right now it’s morning and I feel 100 percent myself. A few weeks ago I would have had that for an hour, but now almost three or four,” he added. “It’s a challenge, because to get better faster, you have to think less. That’s not my normal mode.”
According to the Evening StandardEdwardes claims Black threw a drink at her at the London club during an argument after she invited him and his husband, British Olympic diver and TV personality Tom Daly, to her table.
“I didn’t have a drink to throw back so I chose violence, but I wasn’t that violent, he got hit on the head,” she said in an Instagram post. “Tell me why he’s crying outside saying it’s a targeted attack and he’s been traumatized and called the police so I have to wait for hours and now I’ve been warned and have to go in for interviews.”
On Thursday, Edwardes referred to the case various Instagram stories. “Was about to post a whole thing but let me shut up for a second because I have to deal with his lawsuit first,” she wrote. “You’ll hear from me when I can.”
The Hollywood Reporter has contacted the Metropolitan Police and a Black representative.
